A Superior Court judge ruled June 16 that a civil rights lawsuit challenging California’s assisted suicide law will go forward.
Riverside County Superior Court Judge Daniel J. Ottolia denied California Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s motion for judgment on the pleadings, which had asked the judge to decide the case against the plaintiffs without a trial. Five California physicians and the American Academy of Medical Ethics brought the legal challenge last year. The judge scheduled a trial setting conference for Oct. 20.
The ruling is “a really big deal,” said attorney Alexandra Snyder, executive director of Life Legal Defense Foundation, which represents the plaintiffs. “The End of Life Option Act is a dangerous law that exposes vulnerable individuals to direct and indirect pressure to commit suicide.”
By treating those diagnosed with six months or less to live differently than other patients, the 2015 End of Life Option Act violates the patients’ due process and equal protection rights under the California and U.S. Constitutions, the plaintiffs argue. The law authorizes doctors to prescribe lethal prescriptions to any patient diagnosed by two doctors as having six months or less to live.
The lawsuit also contends the law was unconstitutionally passed during an extraordinary legislative session called specifically to address Medi-Cal funding shortfalls, after the California Legislature repeatedly rejected physician assisted suicide legislation during regular session.
“I am very heartened to hear about this decision,” said Dr. George Delgado, one of the five physicians suing to overturn the law. “Physician-assisted suicide does damage to patients who are in very difficult situations. It does damage to the medical profession. It compromises the sacred trust between physician and patient which should be based on healing, not based on killing.”
Full story at Catholic San Francisco.
Euthanasia by Medical Doctors was forbidden by Hypocrattes´ oath 2400 years ago. “I will never administer poisons or provide pesaries to cause abortion.”
Euthanasia by these Death Panels is the great moral issue in California. Noe Euthanasia, Infanticide next. If you own a nice home in California better beware of your own children. Maybe old people should avoid going into hospitals. Surely hundreds of Social Workers, translators and Psichologists are scouring California to save money for the pauper Medical insurance given free the idle. So far this first year our Doctors have done in 500 Californians. Prepare to die.
Watch out folks, if you get sick, the state just might decide you are too expensive to keep alive. Killing is not treatment, and it is a terribly misplaced notion of “compassion” to think otherwise.
Notice, another so-called Catholic, Xavier Becerra, is leading ths death march. He probably presents himself for Holy Communion. It is beyond scandal, his soul is at stake, and even if he doesn’t care, his bishop should.
Archbishop Gomez, you should not have shared the podium with this death peddler at your recent event.
California seems to just love promoting the culture of death. Woe to California and America turn from promoting the culture of death to promoting the culture of life. Turn to a God of love and mercy before it is too late. Jesus Christ King of Kings Lord of Lords True God and True Man is coming soon like a thief in the night and a just judge. Pray America Pray.